Rotary internal-combustion engine.



' P. .E.'HiGHMARK-. ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION `FILED IAN, 21. i918.

1,291,884, c A mama Jan. 21,1919.

asHEsTs-SHEET a.

,A d?! Y my y P, E. HIGHMARK. ROTNRY` INTERNAL COMBUSHON ENGINE.

- Armcmou 'man mm1. ma. t

Patented' Jan. 2l, 1919.

3 sains-suur 2 Pi E. HIGHMARK. l l ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. I

APPLICATION FILED .IAI\I.2I. |918A m. l Patemed Jan. 21, w19. I

` 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

, 'BWM .fill

peren n. .HIGHMARK or DULUTH, l MINNESQTA.

- ROTARY INTENL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

nien;

Patented Jan. Zi 1919.

Applicetonled January 21, 1918. BerialNo, 212,916. n

engines and in which all of the piston rodsVY saine crank, the cyl-- are wnneeted vvith the indeis revolving about the crank shaft in one direction and the shaft rotating in the opposite direction when the engine is in operation iti This invention relates to internal conn.

i further oeeulia :ity of the engine herein'A at thecrank shaft isvertically the cylinders revolve about dineiosed is t dispoeed and fiume ture and combination of arts herein claimed lining applicable particu arly to this type of en .e f

rlhe principal object is to produce a practicel engine of this character of as light and cient design as possible havingin mind i eon'iiilyinn' with the requirements denianded -l'iy aerialnavigation and the like.

.Anci-flier 'object is to provide an engine of this type in which the matter of lubrication ina'l liesatislaclorily solved.

@till other objects and. advantages of the eifel. construction will appear in the furr description thereo ;i'h. the accompanying drawingsk forming a part of this application and in 'which like reference characters indicate like parts: tu. Figure 1 l ew of an engine embodying mv invention; fig. 2 is a to'. plan view partly in section oli a fregiuenta portion of the engine showf ing' the nrrangeinent of cylinders and valve nerating mechanism, enf

3 1s adiagrammatic view showing the erriingeinentof intake pipes and their relation to the carbnreter.

, .in the embodiment of the invention herel te iiiustijated i re resents the vertical Walls er ax'iexnbeis" ,ot t ie supporting traine of the engine which may be of 'any desired construction ororni to suit individual circuinstances, however, preferably of as open construction as possible ,tonallow free circnietion of air about isy a vertical central sectional in a horizontal plane, the novel struc-v tlie moving parte of thezfigine i mounted.

which is known to be iissential in the opera tion of such. v 2 represents the upperwall or top ol' the supporting 'frame and. the lower wall or hase. a

This frame may he supported in any de! sircd manner and forms the fixed portion of the engine in which the moving partsare A centrally positioned depending hub or sleeve n is 'formedl integral m'th the upper wall 2 or' the supporting frame and arts as a bearing'for the (frank case 5 which has a wrist .extending within the sleeve' to a point above the upper face ot' the wall 2 and to `which the beveled gear 7 is fixed for transmitting power from the rotating crank ease. f j

The wrist 6 has a central axial bore therethrough in which the'upper ond 8 of the crank shaft is journaled, the lower stub end 49 of the crank shaft being journaled in au upstanding Lboss l formed integral with the lower wall ot' the crank case,

he crank caseis circular in plan view and the upper and lower 4end walls are spaced apart a distance justequal to. the diameter of the engine cylinders 11 which extend radially'into the crank'case through the circumferential wall thereof, the cylinders being: spaced equidistant tlxcreahout and l have shovvn six such cylinders in the embodiment here illustrated.

rThe cylinders may he secured Within 'the crank case in any desired manner either by being screw threaded therein or bolted thereto as desired.

The supporting portion of the crank case comprises' a plurality' of legs 12 either formed integral therewith or suitably attached thereto and .l have shown four such legs as beingT a convenient nuinberfor the purpose.

These legs convergedownwardly from the crank case and terminate in a comparatively heavy annular ring 13. This ring h-as formed in the outer lower corner thereof a ball bearing` rare or seat as' at 14 which registers with a similar seat 15 in the edges of `the hole in the base 3 of .the supporting frame'l'or the reception of the lower end of the ring 13. Bulls 16 are established Within such bearing thus supporting thecrank case and cylinders on a substantial and as frirtionless ,a bearing as possible. n

The discharge port or chamber 17 of the i sents at all times to the outer fee'eof the# e of the hitter Y rzulizilly ont tower cylinders. f

her L0 are inside t(i{eonnnliiii Y v with the combustion cliiiinhe mon in such enginev consi' ing connected' to the Stein '.4

V`'cmlmixeter. not shown of arcuate Shape and'heving iis face fitting closely against the circumferential wall ol the ring prering y:in elongated opening through `which the ges is laken hy the intake pipesltl'lezid ing to each cylinder. The endeof these intakepipes terminate in the innervsicle Wells of thering in which there', are registering c holes therefor unil :ire arranged radially nr their proper pince-s to retreivethe charge of geS at the right. time during the cycle of each f piston.

The vchamber l muy he ixedito thehee v3,

of the frame in any desired manner andthe earbnreter muy be adjacent thereto or whereever desired.

The intake pipes 18?*ipreferiibljyleafd*ene'f from thei i' eonnectioirio the 'rinmied' neenl; the bottom ofthe c der, and up lo rkthi The exhmis, pipesili; lemlronifthe exhaust. clmmbersfoii the oppositelsiilesfof' cylinders' te that.

` 1. theinlike. ehzinihers and pipeshnll downin stalled therein beneath -the :millier :ire designed fol "of vt'efvr'itih" gine.

'lhe intzilce chain the nienipnlnl ion oi'j ythe Velin-,s n novel in ihzitlhe stems Kreml 'l YepeCiively im- ;oiiereted ilio engagement with'eiiilioniir e iixed lo the sleei'e I of -lhesu ijoitin'f freine 28 operating the intake"mlveeand lzll-he exhaust velvei i e The steinv E2G is ailn'eii'edf trnlly to :i horizei'ilgallj" shaped dog il() piviilullyl the upper wiill of ythe'fe nh. ice

which' is engaged h ythe clin 28 ai; l mise uml eylinilerf,1 iiiefrevo, A silnihuclog 33 isnponnteilbe 30 :mil upon the; Seine yfjir'oifll.; tl

crank shaft;

`plate y hii'ving ,a vert'icelly disposed annuler wall l39 inwhich the come-ci, points 413 are propy'zink ease 'nml from .thencei urli v respectiveoyl'itb of the]y A. i '+42 is thecontaelaingf,Yeller #i3 which bears" inner :sur'ece of the #wall 39 and closes lhe #ferions electric cire .similar marmer to phat :inklcon nectedf` to," ythe'.iqipe, i end' of the centrallyklispoeeil'manifold jinpie' 21' s :lhonltfthe sleevey i upon' wl ed to permih of Aretesilimg or advancing-lie `lo l of; the snp# y 'he eef poi-ling freine. "'Ehlelelnins inzinifoldcnii n `the en-f uit;y '.1

"' 1 menage i. in annuler epslendiieg4 Harige is shown es vformed integral with the upper wall of n Expensive spiral" springs 35 are shown e5 surrounding eeehvalve stein intermediate of thevalve chest 36 and the flange 34 said springs being so arranged es te norn'ielly' hold the valves closed5 such being common in the art.

yAs 'an operative ignition device I have Shown the flange 34 ns carrying e covering 37 with a huhlilre central portion 38 erly nrrengedlhey 'being electrically connecied `to heii: respective spark plug@ es is well understood. l Within the viniiililie portion :mel cer,- ricll betweensllileblefbraickets lL-+41.. er@

een"

tending radially from fthe. ndjustebe slrenjfzar it ell limes egeinsbihe' spark by suchA mijnstnienl; which me remplis-heil in any desired innnncr, ila being heimwee" e euitsto the" sperlcplugs whenengaging 'the properly ronw'eeied-within the ignition cirf While 'l' ihiivelhown, ,neieepeciiic forros eoxifineilio; suelij` ions jfmodilfieziiions Funny he resortm to withongy depart-ing from vthe' spirit of i *the'rmeniiong i il freiiresexiis*the .rrenlcof 4fthe Shaft 8-7-9 fainljzie ijs enstonfiery inisifich 'lle-vices, if. en 1 integral per@ l hereofj 'l5 'of `the ernnlisn eircnhii: 4c-roes-henei i6 .to which nllrof the pietoiirdis 47 of. lille verh` heut; the wrist pin ous cylinders are pivotirily' clenched es :uh

f1ffv.xB v this arrengein'ent, es the eyiinders .aiiiilferzrnlecase revolve :il/enr, the shei- 1n one fl le cui-img Ihaive preyidedheerrengeienl: f f, i niei'lneshing beveled genre' above tlv ntero'f" .he jiiggine'refcleaijlyfseenin i die iop# portion the housing ,.uiij, housing il end rei'ries eaeent siich por" lieffrelgitive speecl the Shaft be @giel y n fremensinmle we of velYe'find'igifnitien onio'lling:ineen'e it is; te hefiinileretoodlzhxi tion and securely fixed thereto a beveled tive shafts 54 andv 55 which extend out- Y wardly through opposite sides of the housing 49, but as is evident these two shafts will rotate in opposite directions.

ln the utilization of power from this en. gine it may be found preferable to have one of 'these shafts larger and stronger than the' other for transmittingthe major portion of the power and the other smaller and used only for operating certain portions of the engine mechanism such as a governor,mag neto or the like which will be understood by those versed in the art.

As an oiling system for this form of engine and which is madea coperative part of the `novel ,constructionl and that such engine may be successfully operated. I have shown at 56 an oil supply pipe which feeds oil both to the top of the crank shaft 8-9 and into the housing 49.

The branch pipe 57 which feeds oil to the end of the crank shaft is comparatively small while-the end of the pipe .'36 leads directly into the housing 49 as at 58 and is designed to furnish a continuous supply of oil on and about the. beveled gears and their journals in the walls of the housing.

Oil holes 59 are formed through the gear 7 and lengthwise throughv the wristv 6 into the crank case. Some oil will also work down through the bearing between the sleeve 4 and wrist 6 and enter the cam case or inclosure surrounded bythe annular flange 34. From there into the crank case are provided oil holes 60.l

Both these holes and the holes :3Q-discharge-upon a thin circular disk 61 securely fixed to the crankshaft just above the crank 44. A

Just above and adjacent the crank 44 is formed in the disk an inclined spout 62 which discharges oil from the upper surface of the disk directly into the bearing in the cross head 46 and about the wrist pin 45. Sufficient of the oil thus dischargediwill be spread about on the cross head to lubricate the piston rod connections therewith.

I have illustrated an upwardly inclined diverting.: shield 63 formed on the disk 61 just outside of the entrance to the inclined spout ($2 for the purpose of directing' a larger proportion of oil into the spoilt than otherwise would occur.

All the remainder of the oil recei'ved upon the disk will be discharged by centrifugal action from the edges thereof on to the pistons of the cylinders and into the open ends of the cylinders thoroughly lubricatingr them at all times when the engine is in operation.

ln the bottom of the crank casing-fl have shown a plurality of-oil holes 6i adjacent the ends of the cylinders and of which there may be any desired number.

These holes discharge into conductor pipes or tubes 65 leading down to the vtop of the .I

bearingl ring 13 in which there are vertical oil holes leading to the ball bearingr in the lower end of the ring and upon which the engine is'supported.

A circular oil 'basin 66 sin-rounds the lower portion of. the ball bearing and is fixed to the under face of the supporting` frame.

This basin has an. upwardly extending somewhat conically shaped central portion 67 extending within the ring 13 and around' the exhaust'r'nanifold 21 for the purpose of diverting the oil into the annular troughlike basin thus formed.

From this' basin the oil is preferably conducted by a suitable pipe (S8-to a pump or other means for returning it to the place of first entryinto the engine, thus forming a continuously circulating oil system.

The pump is' only suggestively illustrated as such as the patricular form thereof is not material to my present invention.

What I claim is:

base 2l of the 1. In combination a multi-cylinder horiy zontally revoluble engine, power transmitting means centrally positioned upon the uppermost face of the en ine and continuous the power transmitting means and oil feeding means attached to the housing whereby oil is fed first tothe transmitting means and thence by gravity through the entire en ine.

4. The combination with an engine o the character described including an inclosed crank case, an inclosed gear case above the crank case and a bearing upon which the entire engine revolves, of means for admitting oil into the gear case, means for per- :rnitting oil to pass unobstructedly from the side of the honsinga 'of the crank case, a beveled upper end of the crank shaft,V a housing snr- Aronnding the A shaft, a shaft extending through `one .side

a two first mentioned .gear case to the crank case, means Within the crank-case for disti'ibutin the oil centrii'ugallytherein and means or conveying oil from the crank case to and through said bearing substantially as described.

5. `An engine of comprising a stationary supporting rame, a horizontally revolving crank` case carried in the 'frame and extending above saine,r a beveled gear lixed to said extension,V `a plurality of radially disposed cylinders fixed to the crank ease, a lcrank shaft operatively connected with each cylinder and extending upwardly through and beyond'the extension gears andthe upper endof the of the housing,v a beveled gear fixed to the innerend of `said sha-ft; .meshing` 'with the two irstinentioned gears by, a shaft extending `through the opposite beveled gear fixed to the inner end o said shaft, meshing with the gears and e driven therethe character `describedgear fixed to the andv driven there `with a structure as a eedpipe for each cylinder progressively communicating withV the feed chain-ber.

7. The combination with a structure as set forth in claim 5, of afeed discharge chamber of a feed discharge l iiiied to the stationary support, a feed pipe l from each Cylinder progressively .communieating with the chamber, a depending exhaust manifold rotating with the engine an an exhaust pipe leading from each cylinder and communicating with the manifold.

In testimonyy whereof I have hereunto afl fixed my signa-ture inthepreeence o two Witnessesr- BETER HrGnMABK. Witnesses: l

Amor JOHNSON, v S. Gao. STEVENS. 

